Opinion Editorialshttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials
Department of Commerce NewsenOp-Ed -- CNN -- Made in America Makes a Comebackhttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2015/02/10/op-ed-cnn-made-america-makes-comeback
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />Tuesday, February 10, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by&nbsp;<a href="http://beta.commerce.gov/directory/pennypritzker">U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://ustr.gov/about-us/biographies-key-officials/united-states-trade-representative-michael-froman">U.S. Trade Representative Mike Froman</a></p><p>Opinion Editorial, CNN, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/09/opinion/pritzker-froman-made-america/">Made in America Makes a Comeback</a></p><div><div>Thanks to the resilience of U.S. workers and businesses of all sizes, "Made in America" is making a comeback.</div><div>​<br />According to data released last week by the Department of Commerce, American businesses&nbsp;exported $2.35 trillion in goods and services&nbsp;in 2014, hitting a record high for the fifth straight year. The United States sold more to our 20 free trade partners than ever before and logged record exports to more than 50 overseas markets.</div><div><br />This is good news all around -- for our economy, workers and wages. After all, U.S. exports have been one of the primary drivers of America's economic resurgence, contributing one-third of our economic growth since 2009 and supporting 11.3 million jobs in 2013. With those jobs paying up to 18% more, on average, than jobs not related to exports, trade promotion has an important role to play in boosting the incomes of middle class Americans.</div><div><br />Yet America's recovery remains incomplete, and unfair foreign practices are threatening our progress. Today, many of our workers are competing against counterparts in countries that lack basic labor rights. Meanwhile, some foreign governments are further skewing the playing field by providing subsidies and encouraging competition without concern for the environment.</div><div><br />At stake is not merely America's status as a place that makes real things, but more fundamentally, the strength of our middle class and the sanctity of our values. When worker rights aren't respected abroad, the human toll is measured both in American jobs and in a deficit of dignity for workers around the world. Likewise, the absence of environmental protections beyond our borders puts workers and businesses at a competitive disadvantage here at home while jeopardizing the health of our waters, wildlife, air and other treasures that span national boundaries.</div><div><br />In the face of these challenges, trade agreements are among our best tools for defending American interests and values.</div><div><br />Just look at the Trans-Pacific Partnership, an agreement that the United States is negotiating with 11 other countries in the Asia-Pacific and which includes nearly 40% of the global economy. If agreement can be reached, the deal would grow U.S. exports by more than $120 billion a year,&nbsp;one study estimates, and support more well-paying jobs.</div><div><br />Most importantly, the TPP will allow the United States to level the playing field for our workers and businesses in the world's fastest-growing region. At present, American autoworkers are handicapped by tariffs that can reach 30% in rapidly growing markets such as Malaysia. For their part, American farmers are forced to contend with tariffs as high as 40% on poultry in Vietnam. In these industries and others, TPP will eliminate or significantly reduce barriers to U.S. exports.</div><div><br />Additionally, TPP will contain the toughest environmental and labor protections of any trade agreement in history, including the first provisions to combat the trade in illegal wildlife and the products of illegal fishing, among other advances.</div><div><br />The benefits of TPP are clear, while the alternative to leading on trade is alarming. In recent years, countries in the Asia-Pacific have struck over 200 trade agreements, while U.S. companies and workers have largely missed out. China has been extremely active, and we cannot afford to sit on the sidelines.</div><div><br />While passing TPP will start a race to the top, ceding leadership to others could result in a race to the bottom. Not leading on trade would undercut our capacity to safeguard labor rights, environmental protections, a free and open Internet, a level playing field between state-owned companies and our private businesses, and a host of provisions which unite America's interests and values.</div><div><br />Getting this done will require unity of effort. In calling for bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority, President Barack Obama has invited Congress to assert its role on trade and provide guidance to the executive branch, including on issues that have emerged since that authority was last updated in 2002, such as the role of state-owned companies and the digital economy.</div><div><br />As the President said during his State of the Union address, 95% of the world's customers live outside the United States. No savvy entrepreneur would leave that much of the market untapped. Passing a bipartisan trade promotion bill is an important step toward opening those markets, unlocking opportunity for all Americans and advancing the first trade agenda that's as progressive as it is pro-growth.</div></div>Opinion EditorialsSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerTue, 10 Feb 2015 12:50:08 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov17514 at http://www.commerce.govOp-Ed -- LinkedIn Influencer -- A Stronger Middle Class Begins With All of Ushttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2015/01/22/op-ed-linkedin-influencer-stronger-middle-class-begins-all-us
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL<br /></strong>Thursday, January 22, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS<br /></strong>202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by&nbsp;<a href="http://beta.commerce.gov/directory/pennypritzker">U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker</a>&nbsp;</p><p>Opinion Editorial, LinkedIn Influencer, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stronger-middle-class-begins-all-us-penny-pritzker">A Stronger Middle Class Begins With All of Us</a></p><p>Today, I traveled to Charlotte for a discussion with the
local chamber of commerce about the President’s State of the Union address, the
state of our economy, and what we can do to support a durable and sustainable
American economy.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Last night, President Obama painted a clear picture of where
we stand today: that we have turned the page from a period of recession and
hardship – and that our economy is once again on the rise.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The evidence is clear: Over 58 straight months, the private
sector has added more than 11 million new jobs. Last year alone, we created 3
million jobs – the most since the 1990s. Our GDP is up, while our unemployment
rate is down. There is no doubt that 2014 was a milestone year for our economy.&nbsp;</p>
<p>We now find our country in a strong position, but we cannot
rest on our laurels. Strengthening our economy is a never-ending task, and we
must ensure that every American family, worker, and business can reap the
benefits of our nation’s resurgence.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In Charlotte and as I travel the country in the weeks and
months to come, I will be taking every opportunity to highlight the Department
of Commerce priorities that support the conditions for economic growth for
American businesses and workers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>At the top of our agenda is trade. As the President reminded
us last night, pursuing new trade agreements is essential to creating more
jobs, strengthening our competitiveness, and spurring our prosperity. We know
that 95 percent of the world’s consumers live beyond our borders – and as any
business in Charlotte will tell you, that is an opportunity to be seized. With
the new trade agreements, we can open new markets to U.S. products, help our
businesses reach those customers, and create a fair environment for our
companies to compete. If our businesses sell more of our goods and services
abroad, they will grow the 11.3 million good-paying jobs here at home that are
supported by exports. With the new trade agreements, we can establish the rules
of the road on labor, the environment, intellectual property protection and
trade in general. With the new trade agreements, we can set high standards for
the global trade in the 21st century. And if we don’t, other nations will which
will leave our businesses and our workers at a competitive disadvantage.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Second, we should act now to implement business tax reform –
a priority that crosses partisan lines – to lower rates and give American and
foreign businesses every reason to keep or locate their operations in our communities.
And we should use the one-time revenues generated from repatriation to invest
in our infrastructure. Anyone who commutes on our highways or rail lines,
travels through our ports and airports, or tries to connect to the Internet in
rural and remote areas, knows that our infrastructure is in need of investment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That’s bad for businesses, costly for commuters, and
detrimental to our competitiveness. We must reinforce and strengthen our
infrastructure to ensure U.S. companies can easily get their goods and services
to market, to ensure consumers can get online, and to ensure our country can
stay a step ahead of our international competitors.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Finally, we need to invest in our greatest resource: the
American people. Nearly every business leader I meet with agrees – the skills
of our workforce must match the needs of our economy in the 21st century. We
have already started to act, putting more than $1 billion behind competitive
grants for job-driven training models like apprenticeships and partnerships between
community colleges and local employers. The President issued a call to action
on this challenge, and we must answer it. We must do more to secure a steady
pipeline of qualified, well-educated workers to keep our businesses on-track
now and in the future.&nbsp;</p>
<p>These ideas are just the beginning. At the Department of
Commerce, we will remain laser-focused on everything we can do to strengthen
our middle class and our economy at-large – from expanding travel and tourism,
to promoting entrepreneurship and innovative manufacturing, and more. From Day
One, President Obama has acted to establish a new foundation for American
success; now, with business leaders in Charlotte and across our country, we
must work together to keep America open for business.</p>Opinion EditorialsState of the UnionSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerThu, 22 Jan 2015 18:50:19 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov17443 at http://www.commerce.govOp-Ed -- El Diario -- Política de Obama sobre Cuba mira hacia el futurohttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2015/01/10/op-ed-el-diario-pol%C3%ADtica-de-obama-sobre-cuba-mira-hacia-el-futuro
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />Saturday, January 10, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by &nbsp;<a href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/203657.htm">U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://beta.commerce.gov/directory/pennypritzker">U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.treasury.gov/about/Pages/Secretary.aspx">U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Jacob J. Lew</a></p><p>Opinion Editorial, El Diario,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.eldiariony.com/politica-presidente-barack-obama-raul-castro-cuba-eeuu-relaciones-comercio-embargo-opinion-columna-miami-herald">Política de Obama sobre Cuba mira hacia el futuro</a></p><p>La decisión del Presidente Obama de comenzar a normalizar relaciones con Cuba beneficiará los intereses de Estados Unidos y los del pueblo cubano. Once millones de personas en este país insular llevan esperando demasiado tiempo —más de medio siglo— para ver que se cumplan sus aspiraciones democráticas y forjar vínculos más estrechos con el resto del mundo en el siglo XXI. La nueva política de Estados Unidos hacia Cuba refleja el hecho de que las políticas pasadas, aunque bien intencionadas, ya no son apropiadas para la situación actual. El anuncio del presidente refleja un giro histórico con respecto a hostilidades originadas en otra época, hacia un futuro más brillante y prometedor.</p><p>A inicios de su gobierno, el presidente tomó medidas para disminuir las restricciones con respecto a visitas y remesas por cubanoamericanos, lo que creó nuevas vías para la reunificación familiar, y posteriormente expandió esto para incluir intercambios religiosos, académicos y culturales para todos los estadounidenses. La decisión extiende decididamente esas medidas iniciales y aumentará la comunicación, el comercio y los viajes entre los dos países. El Departamento de Estado encabezará conversaciones para restaurar relaciones diplomáticas con Cuba por primera vez desde 1961 y volver a abrir una embajada en La Habana. En nuestras conversaciones bilaterales, Estados Unidos procurará promover la cooperación en asuntos de interés mutuo, incluidas medidas contras las drogas y trata de personas, como también la migración, la crisis del ébola y desafíos ambientales comunes.</p><p>El presidente ha dejado en claro que un importante aspecto de estas medidas será el apoyo continuo a favor de mejores condiciones para los derechos humanos y reformas democráticas en Cuba. La promoción de la democracia reafirma los derechos humanos universales al aumentar el poder de la sociedad civil y apoyar la libertad de las personas para que hagan uso de sus derechos de expresión y reunión. Por estos motivos, nos complace la decisión de Cuba de poner en libertad a 50 presos políticos, aumentar el acceso al Internet por los pobladores de Cuba y permitir mejor observación de los derechos humanos por la Cruz Roja Internacional y las Naciones Unidas. Nuestro respaldo del progreso en estos ámbitos será firme y continuaremos poniendo en práctica programas para promover cambios positivos en Cuba.</p><p>Como Albert Einstein dijo hace mucho tiempo, simplemente no es razonable seguir haciendo lo mismo con la expectativa de obtener un resultado diferente. Desde el cese de relaciones diplomáticas entre Estados Unidos y Cuba, el mundo se ha transformado; la Guerra Fría concluyó hace un cuarto de siglo. Con el tiempo, los esfuerzos de Estados Unidos por aislar a Cuba comenzaron a tener el efecto inverso: aislar a Estados Unidos, particularmente en el Hemisferio Occidental. Mientras tanto, los líderes cubanos usaron nuestra posición como fuente de propaganda, para justificar políticas que no tienen cabida en el siglo XXI. Era un secreto a voces que el estancamiento de la relación no beneficiaba a ninguna de las partes. Es hora de dejar de mirar hacia atrás y comenzar a promover los intereses de tanto los cubanos amantes de la libertad como los de Estados Unidos.</p><p>En primer lugar, ha autorizado a funcionarios de Estados Unidos para que expandan los viajes, aumenten las remesas e incrementen el comercio bilateral. Para posibilitarlo y asegurar la debida vigilancia, el Departamento del Tesoro también facilitará las transacciones bancarias y permitirá el uso de tarjetas de débito y crédito de Estados Unidos en Cuba. Además, aumentará los controles y transparencia del flujo de capital entre Estados Unidos y Cuba al permitir que instituciones financieras estadounidenses abran cuentas correspondientes en bancos cubanos. Uno de los efectos de todos estos cambios será aumentar la capacidad de los estadounidenses de ofrecer capacitación comercial y otro tipo de apoyo al incipiente sector privado en Cuba, que ya incluye 500,000 empleados. Al respecto, el Departamento de Comercio disminuirá los actuales límites a la exportación de una variedad de productos, lo que contribuiría al desarrollo en Cuba de pequeñas empresas como firmas de construcción, empresas agrícolas, talleres de auto y otras.</p><p>En segundo lugar, la decisión del presidente apoyará nuevos esfuerzos por derrumbar la barrera digital que aísla a los cubanos. El país tiene un índice de penetración del Internet de 5 por ciento, uno de los más bajos del mundo. Los precios son altos, y los servicios limitados. Conforme a la nueva política, permitiremos la venta de tecnología que comenzará a dar rienda suelta a los efectos transformadores del Internet en la isla.</p><p>En tercer lugar, el presidente ha dispuesto reformas en la aplicación de las sanciones por Estados Unidos a cubanos en terceros países.</p><p>En cuarto lugar, el presidente le ha pedido al Departamento de Estado que examine la designación de Cuba como país que patrocina el terrorismo, a fin de asegurar que una designación tal se base exclusivamente en los hechos y la ley.</p><p>Todo esto se suma al inicio de conversaciones con el propósito de restaurar relaciones diplomáticas normales. El mes entrante, la secretaria adjunta de Estado, Roberta Jacobson, dirigirá una delegación estadounidense a la próxima ronda de conversaciones sobre la migración entre Estados Unidos y Cuba, y el Departamento de Comercio encabezará una delegación comercial a ese país en meses próximos. En la primavera, el Presidente Obama viajará a Panamá para la Cumbre de las Américas del 2015, donde alentamos la plena participación de los representantes de la sociedad civil cubana. Mientras tanto, Estados Unidos les ha dado la bienvenida tras su retorno al subcontratista de USAID Alan Gross, quien estuvo encarcelado injustamente en Cuba durante más de cinco años, como también a un agente de inteligencia estadounidense quien llevaba dos décadas en prisión.</p><p>El anuncio del Presidente Obama mira hacia el futuro y pone énfasis en el valor de las relaciones directas de persona a persona, mayor intercambio comercial, más comunicación y un diálogo respetuoso. Esto mejorará nuestra capacidad de tener un impacto positivo en los acontecimientos en Cuba y de ayudar a mejorar la vida del pueblo cubano. Creará condiciones más equitativas para las empresas estadounidenses. Y realzará la posición de nuestro país en el hemisferio y en todo el mundo.</p>Opinion EditorialsSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerSat, 10 Jan 2015 15:20:17 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov17408 at http://www.commerce.govOp-Ed -- CNBC -- US-Mexico Economic Talks are Key to Cross-Border Prosperityhttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2015/01/06/op-ed-cnbc-us-mexico-economic-talks-are-key-cross-border-prosperi
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />Tuesday, January 6, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by&nbsp;<a href="http://beta.commerce.gov/directory/pennypritzker">U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker</a>&nbsp;</p><p>Opinion Editorial, CNBC,<a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/102314108">&nbsp;US-Mexico Economic Talks are Key to Cross-Border Prosperity</a></p><p>On both sides of the 2,000 mile border we share with Mexico, our people and our businesses are working together to create jobs, economic opportunity, and prosperity. The interests we share with our neighbor to the south, our third largest trading partner in the world, are not just about border security and immigration. We are also focused on how we can grow the $1.5 billion in goods and services that already move between our countries each day, do more business together, and strengthen our collective competitiveness.&nbsp;</p><div><p>As the United States welcomes Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto to Washington this week, the importance of our commercial relationship with Mexico will take center stage during the second meeting of the U.S.-Mexico High Level Economic Dialogue (HLED).</p><p>Nearly two years ago, President Obama and President Peña Nieto announced the formation of the HLED, a forum through which our governments can better collaborate to advance strategic commercial priorities central to promoting mutual economic growth, job creation, and global competitiveness. As a result of these efforts, we are already working together more effectively. We have made significant strides in areas ranging from cross-border trade to the promotion of a knowledge economy.</p><p>The HLED has achieved several concrete outcomes. We are moving goods and people across our border more efficiently, and we have negotiated a new air-services agreement that will benefit travelers, shippers, airlines and the economies of the United States and Mexico with competitive pricing and more convenient services. To reduce bottlenecks at the border, we are expanding capacity at our ports of entry. For example, at the El Chaparral-San Ysidro Port of Entry between San Diego and Tijuana, the busiest land crossing in the world, new construction has reduced wait times from three hours to approximately 30 minutes. We are collaborating to boost travel and tourism between the United States and Mexico, expand supply-chain security, and better manage our telecommunications systems along the border. Our two governments have also pledged to increase international education exchanges, which will help ensure citizens of both countries have a workforce with the skills needed to succeed in the global economy.</p><p>The HLED represents the next step forward in the U.S.-Mexico economic relationship, a fruitful partnership shaped by openness, cooperation, and collaboration. Today, two decades after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) entered into force, the benefits of our economic integration are clear. Two-way trade between the U.S. and Mexico now stands at half-a-trillion dollars annually, supporting millions of jobs in both countries. In the manufacturing/assembly sector, 75 percent of company activity is located along the border, and the United States supplies 80 percent of the inputs. When the U.S. imports final goods from Mexico, roughly 40 percent of the content of that merchandise has originated in the United States.</p><p>At the same time, business investment in both directions has grown dramatically. Nearly 20,000 American firms now have operations in Mexico, and the country is now the 15th largest source of foreign direct investment into the United States, supporting thousands of American jobs in sectors ranging from mining to retail. In short, we trade with each other more than ever. We invest in each other more than ever. We produce together more than ever. And we can do more.</p><p>Through the HLED, we are regularly engaged with the government of Mexico to devise solutions that will create new trade and economic opportunities and strengthen our commercial ties. We are doing this all in partnership with civil society and the private sector – because no one will feel the impacts of the HLED more strongly than U.S. and Mexican businesses and workers.</p><p>Guided by input from our stakeholders, our countries will focus on numerous key areas in 2015, including energy, modern borders, workforce development, regulatory cooperation, stakeholder engagement and partnering in regional and global leadership. In February, my team will host a stakeholder event to share the progress we've made on the HLED and solicit input from the private sector and civil society.</p><p>When I chose Mexico as my first international trade mission as Secretary of Commerce, I did so knowing the relationships between our governments, our businesses, and our people have never been stronger. As we look to the future, it is clear that the United States and Mexico are poised for even greater success as a result of our deep and blossoming cultural, economic, and person-to-person ties. Using the HLED as our guide, we can increase exports and boost trade, promote economic growth, create good jobs for all of our citizens, and keep our nations open for one another's business.&nbsp;</p></div><div><div><p>Commentary by Penny Pritzker, the U.S. Commerce Secretary. Follow Sec. Pritzker on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="http://www.twitter.com/PennyPritzker" target="_blank">@PennyPritzker</a>.</p></div></div><p><span><br /></span></p>Opinion EditorialsHLEDNAFTAU.S.-Mexico High Level Economic DialogueSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerTue, 06 Jan 2015 17:30:31 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov17376 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- Miami Herald -- President Obama’s New Cuba Policy Looks Forward, Not Back http://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/12/20/opinion-editorial-miami-herald-president-obama%E2%80%99s-new-cuba-policy-
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />Saturday, December 20, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by <a href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/203657.htm">U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://beta.commerce.gov/directory/pennypritzker">U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker</a>&nbsp;and <a href="http://www.treasury.gov/about/Pages/Secretary.aspx">U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Jacob J. Lew</a></p><p>Opinion Editorial, <em>Miami Herald<br /></em><a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article4746744.html">President Obama’s New Cuba Policy Looks Forward, Not Back&nbsp;</a></p><p>President Obama’s decision to begin normalizing relations with
Cuba will advance United States’ interests and those of the Cuban people. The
11 million people of this island nation have waited far too long — over half a
century — to fulfill their democratic aspirations and build closer ties with
the rest of the world in the 21st century. Our new U.S. policy on Cuba reflects
the reality that past policies — although well-intentioned — no longer suit
today’s situation. The president’s announcement reflects a historic turning of
the page on enmities born of a different era and toward a brighter and more
promising future.</p><p>
Early in his administration, the president took steps to ease restrictions on
Cuban-American visits and remittances that opened new pathways for family
reunification — and later expanded this to include religious, academic and
cultural exchanges for all Americans. Last week’s decision builds boldly on those
initial measures and will increase communications, commerce and travel between
our two countries. The State Department will lead discussions to restore
regular diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time since 1961 and
re-establish an embassy in Havana. In our bilateral discussions, the United
States will seek to advance cooperation on issues of mutual interest, including
counter-narcotics, migration, combating trafficking-in-persons, the Ebola
crisis and shared environmental challenges.</p><p>
The president has made clear that a critical focus of these actions will
include continued strong support for improved human-rights conditions and
democratic reforms in Cuba. The promotion of democracy supports universal human
rights by empowering civil society and supporting the freedom of individuals to
exercise their freedoms of speech and assembly. For these reasons, we welcome
Cuba’s decision to release more than 50 political prisoners, expand Internet
access for Cuba’s citizens and allow better human-rights monitoring by the
International Red Cross and United Nations. Our firm support for progress in
these areas will be unwavering, and we will continue to implement programs to
promote positive change in Cuba.</p><p>
As Albert Einstein said long ago, it’s just not rational to continue doing the
same thing in the expectation of obtaining a different result. Since U.S.-Cuban
relations were frozen, the world has been transformed; the Cold War ended a
quarter century ago. Over time the U.S. effort to isolate Cuba began to have
the reverse effect of isolating the United States especially in the Western
Hemisphere. Meanwhile, Cuban leaders used our stance as a source of propaganda,
to justify policies that have no place in the 21st century. It has been an open
secret that the relationship has been in a rut that benefits no one on either
side. The time has come to cease looking backward and to begin to move forward
in the interests of both freedom-loving Cubans and the United States.&nbsp;</p>
<p>What, specifically, has the president decided to do?</p><p>
First, he has authorized U.S. officials to expand travel, increase remittances
and grow bilateral trade. To facilitate this and ensure proper oversight, the
Treasury Department will also make banking easier and allow the use of U.S.
debit and credit cards in Cuba. In addition, it will strengthen the monitoring
and transparency of financial flows between the United States and Cuba by
allowing American financial institutions to open correspondent accounts at
Cuban banks. One effect of all of the changes will be to increase the ability
of Americans to provide business training and other support for Cuba’s nascent
private sector, which already includes 500,000 employees. In this regard, the
Commerce Department will ease current export limits on a variety of products
that would help Cuban small businesses grow such as construction firms,
agricultural companies, automobile repair and others.</p><p>
Second, the president’s decision will support new efforts to tear down the
digital wall that isolates Cubans. The country has an Internet penetration rate
of 5 percent, among the lowest in the world. Prices are high, and services are
limited. Under the new policy, we will permit the sale of technology that will
begin to unleash the transformative effects of the Internet on the island.</p><p>
Third, the president has ordered reforms in the application of U.S. sanctions
to Cubans in third countries.</p><p>
Fourth, the president has asked the State Department to review Cuba’s
designation as a state sponsor of terrorism to ensure that any such designation
is guided entirely by the facts and law.</p><p>
All this is in addition to the start of talks aimed at the restoration of
normal diplomatic relations. Next month, Assistant Secretary of State Roberta
Jacobson will lead the U.S. delegation to the next round of U.S.-Cuba Migration
talks, and the Commerce Department will lead a business delegation to the
country in the coming months. In the spring, President Obama will travel to
Panama for the 2015 Summit of the Americas, where we are encouraging full
participation by representatives of Cuban civil society. Meanwhile, the United
States has welcomed home USAID subcontractor Alan Gross, who was wrongfully
jailed in Cuba for more than five years, and also an American intelligence
agent who had been imprisoned for two decades.</p><p>
President Obama’s announcement last week is forward-looking and emphasizes the
value of people-to-people relations, increased commerce, more communications
and respectful dialogue. It will enhance our ability to have a positive impact
on events inside Cuba and to help improve the lives of the Cuban people. It
will put American businesses on a more equal footing. And it will enhance the
standing of our own country in the hemisphere and around the world.</p>Opinion EditorialsSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerSat, 20 Dec 2014 15:40:40 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov17369 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- USA Today -- Immigration Source of Economic Prosperityhttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/12/08/opinion-editorial-usa-today-immigration-source-economic-prosperit
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />Monday, December 8, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by <a href="http://beta.commerce.gov/directory/pennypritzker">U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker</a></p><p>Opinion Editorial, <em>USA Today<br /></em><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/12/08/obama-immigration-executive-order-pritzker/20091767/">Immigration Source of Economic Prosperity</a><br /><br />The history of the United States has been built on the
stories of immigrants who came to this country with little more than a strong
work ethic and the desire for a better life. Just like many Americans, my own
family made their way to the U.S. in search of greater opportunity and
freedoms.&nbsp;</p>
<p>My great-grandfather was dirt poor at the age of 10 when his
family fled oppression in Ukraine, bound for the United States. He taught
himself English, worked several jobs, earned his legal degree at night, and
opened a law practice at the age of 30.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In the process of building businesses and achieving
financial security for his family, my great-grandfather helped bring prosperity
to his community in Chicago. His mother helped create a "nickel
club," in which she and her neighbors donated their change each week to
help care for other newcomers as they found their footing. This, too, is a
critical part of America's immigration story: every new generation has done its
part to advance progress and prosperity for their families, their communities,
and the entire United States.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The current chapter of American history is no different. In
2011, immigrants started 28% of all new U.S. businesses, while only accounting
for 13% of the population. One study a few years ago found that more than 40%
of Fortune 500 companies, including Google, Yahoo!, and Home Depot, were
founded by immigrants or the children of immigrants. Despite these
contributions, too often our failed immigration policies have been a roadblock
for those eager to make a new start in America.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aspiring entrepreneurs and established business owners are
frustrated by our broken immigration system, which allows us to educate and
train many talented individuals in the United States and then forces us to send
them back home. Our current system forces good talent into the shadows or to
leave our country altogether. The need to overhaul our immigration policies is
a common refrain in the business community. In my tenure as secretary of
Commerce, I have met with more than 1,400 CEOs and business leaders across the
country, and the overwhelming sentiment is that now is the time to act on
commonsense, comprehensive immigration reform.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Absent congressional action, President Obama has taken bold
and decisive steps that will address some of the deficiencies in our
immigration system while at the same time helping grow our economy. The
economic benefits to fixing our broken immigration system are clear. According
to an analysis by the Council of Economic Advisers, the president's actions
will boost our gross domestic product by $90 billion to $210 billion over 10
years.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Policy changes to encourage more innovation are among the
most promising improvements facing American businesses and start-ups as a
result of immigration reform. It is no secret that our country is suffering
from a shortage of workers in the science, technology, engineering, and math
(STEM) fields. According to one analysis, only one-third of foreign-born STEM
graduates from American universities are able to stay here on temporary work
visas. This is bad for our economy and harmful for U.S. leadership in the
industries of tomorrow.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The steps the president has taken will offer these students
every incentive to remain in the U.S. Specifically, the Department of Homeland
Security will expand and extend the Optional Practical Training program, which
currently allows foreign-born STEM students and degree holders to stay in the
U.S. for up to 29 months. The new rules surrounding this program will
strengthen and extend the program so STEM graduates aren't forced to return
home and work for our competitors and is expected to impact tens of thousands
of students.&nbsp;</p>
<p>President Obama's actions will give high-skilled workers
here on temporary visas — those who have already been approved for a green card
but are stuck in years-long waiting lists — more flexibility to change jobs and
employers. This regulatory change will impact about 400,000 workers, most in
high-tech fields. And, the administration will expand immigration options for
foreign entrepreneurs who meet key criteria for creating jobs, attracting
investment, and generating revenue in the U.S.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The president's actions represent essential steps within his
legal authority, but only Congress can truly address the situation. Like
President Obama, I firmly believe that these executive actions can — and should
— be replaced by comprehensive immigration reform passed by Congress.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The bottom line is that America needs a smart, effective
immigration system that secures our borders, keeps families united, creates
opportunities for our workers, and makes sure that every business has the
talent it needs. Immigration reform is more than a moral imperative; it is an
economic opportunity and a matter of competitiveness for our country.</p>Opinion EditorialsImmigrationSTEMSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerMon, 08 Dec 2014 17:54:12 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov17292 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- FORBES -- Investing in Entrepreneurshttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/12/04/opinion-editorial-forbes-investing-entrepreneurs
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />Thursday, December 4, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by <a href="http://beta.commerce.gov/directory/pennypritzker">U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker</a></p><p>Opinion Editorial, <em>FORBES</em><br /><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2014/12/04/investing-in-entrepreneurs/">Investing in Entrepreneurs</a></p><p>The United States has a tradition of celebrating our
entrepreneurs and championing their success. From Ben Franklin to Steve Jobs to
Tory Burch, the story of America has been shaped and driven by risk-takers and
inventors.&nbsp;</p>
<p>President Obama understands that the opportunity for
business creators to thrive is the foundation for a rising middle class,
security and stability, and broad-based prosperity. This is why he has been
promoting innovation since his famous speech in Cairo in 2009. When it comes to
entrepreneurship, America is the best in the business, and it is our
responsibility to share our expertise and help create a culture of innovation
in countries around the world.&nbsp;</p>
<p>That is the message I delivered at the annual Global
Entrepreneurship Summit in Marrakesh, Morocco, where the world’s foremost
innovators gathered to exchange best practices, learn from their peers, and
hear the stories of successful and inspiring business leaders.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I felt right at home at the Summit. Prior to serving as
Secretary of Commerce—I proudly counted myself among the ranks of our country’s
entrepreneurs. When I was 28 years old, I launched my first startup with an
idea that was untested at the time: independent senior living, assisted living
and continuing-care retirement communities. My team and I had a rough first few
years, but we persevered. Today, the company—and four others I started—has
created economic value and thousands of jobs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I was fortunate to have the guidance, direction, capital and
fortitude I needed to succeed, but I know many others are not as lucky,
especially in countries where a culture of innovation is only just taking root.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The United States—and the Department of Commerce in particular—has
a unique role to play in ensuring all entrepreneurs have access to the support
structure necessary to help them thrive. We have a responsibility to share our
expertise and our experience, and to show our partners worldwide what it takes
to build an entrepreneurial society in their own communities.&nbsp;</p>
<p>One way we meet this charge is through a public-private
partnership called the <a href="http://beta.commerce.gov/PAGE">President’s Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship, or
PAGE</a>, which I am honored to chair. This initiative brings together 11 of
America’s top entrepreneurs, who use their stories and knowledge to mentor and
inspire young people and start-ups across our country and around the world.&nbsp;</p>
<p>PAGE members are making real impacts in communities across
the globe. They are leaders like Daphne Koller, co-founder of Coursera, who is
developing a new entrepreneurship curriculum to teach entrepreneurs the basics
of starting a business. PAGE also counts Hamdi Ulukaya among its ranks, who
founded the infamous yogurt company Chobani. He recently launched the Chobani
Food Incubator in New York City to help up-and-coming food companies get their
foot in the door. And we are proud to work with Steve Case, who co-founded AOL
and now invests in up-and-coming entrepreneurs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Through initiatives like PAGE, our Department supports
startups and new businesses from the instant an idea is sketched on the back of
a napkin to the moment a company goes global. Even with the leadership and
support of the U.S. government and private sector, we know our efforts can only
go so far if businesses do not have access to the basic ingredients needed to
turn a great idea into a viable company.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Entrepreneurs need an infrastructure of opportunity, defined
by strong educational institutions, by close relationships between the private
sector and local universities, doing research, and by a system where ideas can
easily become commercialized and tested in the market.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Entrepreneurs need strong rule of law, a level playing
field, access to financing throughout a company’s lifecycle, and legal norms
that protect intellectual property and make it simple for innovators to both
start an enterprise and wind it down.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Entrepreneurs do not and should not depend solely on
government or policy makers to achieve success; but with the basic foundation
for progress in place, business creators and innovators worldwide will have the
opportunity to thrive. As long as those of us in government do our part to
cultivate the best ideas and enable our best minds, there is no doubt that
entrepreneurs will continue to change societies, communities, economies, and
nations for the better.</p>Opinion EditorialsPAGEPresident’s Ambassadors for Global EntrepreneurshipSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerThu, 04 Dec 2014 23:17:20 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov17291 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- CNN Money Online -- White House Explains Why its Visa Reforms Are a Big Deal for the U.S. Economyhttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/11/10/opinion-editorial-cnn-money-online-white-house-explains-why-its-v
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />Monday, November 10, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by <a href="http://beta.commerce.gov/directory/pennypritzker">Penny Pritzker</a> and <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/author/Jeffrey%20Zients">Jeffrey Zients</a></p><p>Opinion Editorial, CNN Money Online<br /><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2014/11/10/news/economy/us-china-visa-reforms/index.html">White House Explains Why its Visa Reforms Are a Big Deal for the U.S. Economy</a></p><p>Editor's note: Penny Pritzker is the U.S. Secretary of Commerce,
and Jeffrey Zients is the Director of the National Economic Council. The
opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the authors.&nbsp;</p>
<p>People naturally think of boosting exports as shipping more
products to faraway lands, but when travelers come from afar to spend money
here, that generates economic activity in America too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Tourism is America's largest services export, and growth in
international visitors has created roughly 260,000 American jobs over the past
five years. In 2013, the State Department issued 9.2 million visas, a 42%
increase since 2010.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Administration has helped accelerate this growth. Thanks to
reforms in visa processing, average waiting periods for visas in important
markets like Brazil and China have dropped from as high as several months to
less than five days, all while maintaining the same rigor in legal and security
reviews.&nbsp;</p>
<p>On Monday in Beijing, President Obama announced an agreement with
China that builds on that progress by extending the validity of tourist and
business visas to 10 years and student visas to five years -- both for Chinese
citizens traveling to the United States and for Americans traveling to China.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Prior to this agreement, Chinese citizens had to renew their
American business, tourist, and student visas annually and the same applied to
American travelers visiting China.</p>
<p>This is a big deal.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Travel and tourism is already our largest services export to
China, and Chinese visitors have accounted for 20% of the growth in overseas
travel to the U.S. since 2008. Last year, 1.8 million Chinese traveled to the
U.S. These travelers spent $21 billion supporting more than 100,000 American
jobs, many of them at small businesses across the nation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But we are a long way from fully capitalizing on the opportunity
from combining the growth of China's burgeoning middle class with the appeal of
an American vacation or business investment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In numerous surveys,
Chinese tourists and business leaders consistently rank America as their most
desired travel destination, yet today we only capture 1.8% of outbound Chinese
travelers. For comparison, today the U.S. draws about 14% of Japanese travelers
and 9% of Korean travelers.</p>
<p>When asked, Chinese travelers cite the ease of obtaining a visa as
second only to cost among the factors determining where they take their next
trip. We've been falling short in that area, while our competitors have been
upping their game. The United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan have already eased
visa restrictions for Chinese travelers, with the European Commission, France,
Germany, and Italy also taking steps to extend visa validity to China too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Of the 10 largest economies, China's was the only one whose citizens
were required to apply for U.S. visas annually.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Monday's announcement changes that dynamic, positioning us to
benefit from increasing Chinese travel ambitions. In the next few years,
China's travel-ready population is expected to grow into the hundreds of
millions, an extraordinary scale relative to any other country in the world.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With the help of this change, we anticipate that up to 7.3 million
Chinese visitors -- more than any other country except our neighbors, Canada
and Mexico -- are projected to visit the U.S. in 2021, contributing about $85
billion per year to the American economy and supporting 440,000 American jobs.
That's four times as many travelers supporting four times as many American jobs
as was the case just last year. The student visa component of the agreement
will also allow for exceptional Chinese students to travel into and out of the
U.S. for up to five years on a single visa as they complete their studies.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But we cannot rely on better policy alone to capture the growth
potential of the Chinese market. In addition, we will need to expand flight
capacity, ensure our offerings are attractive to Chinese visitors, and
aggressively market the U.S. as a travel destination.&nbsp;</p>
<p>By making all of these changes, we will turn a trip to the U.S.
into a rite of passage -- and repeat occurrence -- for China's rising middle
class and growing corps of business leaders, as well as a crucial engine of
American growth and job creation.&nbsp;</p>Opinion EditorialsNational Economic CouncilNational Travel and Tourism IndustrySecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerMon, 10 Nov 2014 17:24:47 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov17290 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- LinkedIn Influencer -- The U.S. and Africa: Awake and Open for Businesshttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/08/06/opinion-editorial-linkedin-influencer-us-and-africa-awake-and-ope
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />Wednesday, August 7, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by Commerce Secretary <a href="/About%20Commerce/Commerce%20Leadership/Penny_Pritzker_Secretary_of_Commerce">Penny Pritzker</a></p><p>Opinion Editorial, <em>LinkedIn Influencer</em><br /><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140806203440-305249517-the-u-s-and-africa-awake-and-open-for-business" target="_blank">The U.S. and Africa: Awake and Open for Business</a></p><p>Yesterday, the Department of Commerce and Bloomberg Philanthropies
co-hosted the first-ever U.S.-Africa Business Forum, an extraordinary
event attended by President Obama, President Clinton, more than 40
African government leaders, and nearly 200 CEOs from some of the most
successful companies on both continents. The Forum was part of the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/us-africa-leaders-summit" target="_blank">2014 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit</a>, the largest gathering of African heads of state ever hosted by an American president.</p><p>The
Forum was focused on expanding U.S. private sector engagement in Africa
and strengthening commercial ties between the United States and African
nations. As a result of this gathering – and as a sign of American and
African businesses’ mutual desire for closer relationships – we saw
President Obama announce <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/05/fact-sheet-doing-business-africa-campaign" target="_blank">$14 billion dollars in new private sector investments</a>
in clean energy, aviation, banking, and construction supporting
economic growth across Africa and tens of thousands of U.S. jobs.</p><p>Last
year, President Obama traveled to the University of Cape Town to usher
in “a new chapter in U.S.-Africa relations.” He called on the students
there, along with leaders across the 54 distinct countries of the
African Union and the United States, to embrace the key tenets of his
vision for our alliance: to strengthen democratic institutions; to
advance peace and security; to encourage opportunity and development;
and to spur economic growth, trade, and investment.</p><p>As America’s
Chief Commercial Officer, I feel strongly that this last pillar – the
U.S.-Africa economic relationship – is fundamental to our mutual peace
and prosperity.</p><p>I know many of my colleagues – in the public and
private sectors, in business and government, on both sides of the
Atlantic – agree. And at yesterday’s Forum, all of the participants
shared a deep conviction that the time is now to deepen our ties of
trade and investment – because doing so will spur growth across the
United States and the countries of Africa.</p><p>For instance, investing in Africa will support <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.exim.gov/newsandevents/releases/2014/ExIm-Bank-Approves-Record-Nearly-2-Billion-Dollars.cfm" target="_blank">2,500 jobs in Pennsylvania for employees of GE Transportation</a>, who will manufacture 293 locomotives for Transnet in South Africa. At the Forum, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/2014/08/05/at-us--africa-business-forum-ghanas-fidelity-bank-chooses-ibm-to-drive-tran-a-540222.html#.U-J0rGNg_g0" target="_blank">IBM and Ghana’s Fidelity Bank signed a five-year deal</a>
for the provision of IT services. This deal highlights a key facet of
our two-way relationship: that when African businesses grow, they deploy
American expertise, purchase American technologies, and learn from our
best practices.</p><p>These types of deals demonstrate that when we work
together as partners, in a spirit of mutual understanding and respect,
we can raise standards of living for all of our nations and address the
challenges that impede our ability to develop closer economic bonds.</p><p>With
each passing day, our commercial connections are deepening, our
business bonds are increasing, and our trade partnership is maturing.
Yet, with Africa’s growing middle class, rapidly expanding economies,
and rising demand, we have only begun to scratch the surface.</p><p>President Obama and the Commerce Department are ready to take our alliance to the next level. That is why, yesterday, <strong>I announced a number of new initiatives</strong>:</p><ul><li>We will expand our <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.trade.gov/cs/" target="_blank">Foreign Commercial Service presence</a> – deploying more of our economic diplomats on the ground to help American businesses navigate each African market.</li><li>We announced 10 new <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.export.gov/trademissions/eg_main_023185.asp" target="_blank">trade missions</a> to Africa and 10 reverse trade missions to the United States by 2020.</li><li>Our National Institute of Standards and Technology will launch the
Global City Teams Challenge to create teams of cities and innovators
working together on issues like air quality, resource management, health
care delivery, and modern energy grids – to utilize the best technology
to build “smart cities.”</li><li>We have created a one-stop shop web portal – <a rel="nofollow" href="http://trade.gov/dbia/" target="_blank">trade.gov/dbia</a>
– where American businesses can learn about African markets, find
financing tools, and discover potential projects, contacts, and
resources.</li><li>We will lead the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/05/executive-order-establishing-presidents-advisory-council-doing-business-" target="_blank">President's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa</a>.</li></ul><p>We want to make doing business in Africa easier for every business.</p><p>This
is a moment of opportunity. A decade from now, we will look back at
this moment as the start of something important or see a missed
opportunity. The choice is up to all of us.</p><p>Our work is far from
over. But, as one rising South African leader told fellow Young African
Leaders and the President last week, “Africa is no longer a sleeping
giant but is awake and open for business.” We will continue to
strengthen the U.S.-Africa economic partnership. We will work to keep
the United States and Africa open for business. Doing so will create
more jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.</p>Opinion EditorialsU.S. Africa Business ForumU.S.-Africa Business ForumOffice of the SecretarySecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerWed, 06 Aug 2014 21:45:00 +0000mkruger@doc.gov16889 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- Forbes -- Obama's U.S.-Africa Forum Will Catalyze $14 Billion In Business Dealshttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/08/05/opinion-editorial-forbes-obamas-us-africa-forum-will-catalyze-14-
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL&nbsp;<br /></strong>Tuesday, August 5, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS<br /></strong>202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by Commerce Secretary&nbsp;<a href="/About%20Commerce/Commerce%20Leadership/Penny_Pritzker_Secretary_of_Commerce">Penny Pritzker</a>&nbsp;and <a href="http://www.mikebloomberg.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjwgYKfBRDvgJeylem9xDUSJACjeQ7AonHkntfGLEKgvFuurtJoP_zShkBoDWS_ZUr6D30T2RoCbMbw_wcB">Michael Blomberg</a></p><div><p>Opinion Editorial, <em>Forbes</em><br /><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2014/08/05/obamas-u-s-africa-forum-will-catalyze-14-billion-in-business-deals/">Obama's U.S.-Africa Forum Will Catalyze $14 Billion In Business Deals</a></p></div><p class="guest_bio">"Africa is no longer a sleeping giant but is awake and open for&nbsp;<a href="http://www.forbes.com/business/">business</a>.” These words from a rising South African leader at last week’s Young African&nbsp;<a href="http://www.forbes.com/leaders/">Leaders</a>&nbsp;Summit could not be more accurate: Africa might well be the biggest market opportunity in the global economy today, and U.S. companies cannot afford to miss out.</p><p>For decades, the U.S.-Africa economic relationship has too often taken a back seat to other pressing issues and priorities. Yet right now, our commercial partnership—between governments, among businesses, in markets on both sides of the Atlantic—is as important as ever. Strengthening and deepening that pillar of our alliance will prove a net gain for workers, entrepreneurs, and communities in the United States and across Africa.</p><p>The continent’s economic potential is enormous. Africa is home to six of the world’s ten fastest-growing economies. Its GDP is expected to rise six percent annually over the next decade. Real income has increased more than 30% over the last 10 years, and many African governments are making investments in infrastructure, education, and health care that are improving millions of lives. Yet investment by U.S. companies in Africa remains too low.</p><p>This fact has negative consequences for the U.S. and African economies, and it is one of the reasons that&nbsp;<a href="http://www.forbes.com/companies/bloomberg/">Bloomberg</a>&nbsp;Philanthropies and the U.S. Department of Commerce are co-hosting the first-ever U.S.-Africa Business Forum, as part of President Obama’s U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit. The forum is a chance for President Obama and 45 African heads of state to talk directly with CEOs from both sides of the Atlantic, and for businesses to learn more about potential investment opportunities.</p><p>We came together to host the Business Forum out of a sense of real urgency. In the years to come, as Africa accounts for an increasing share of the world market, companies that want to remain competitive globally will need to have an African presence. The growing demand for goods and services in Africa can increase U.S. exports and create more jobs here at home, and more trade and investment in Africa will be critical to America’s leadership in the global economy. At the same time, American companies bring unique experience and expertise that can help African countries meet their development goals.</p><p>Make no mistake: the U.S.-Africa relationship is a two-way street. America and Africa have a lot to gain through closer economic ties. And to start, we expect today’s forum to serve as a catalyst for more than $14 billion in business deals with benefits that travel in both directions across the Atlantic.</p><p>We know what is possible when American companies work hand-in-hand with African counterparts: we can help raise living standards and pave the way for future growth. For example,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.forbes.com/companies/ibm/">IBM</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.forbes.com/companies/ibm/">IBM&nbsp;+0.26%</a>&nbsp;has opened Africa’s first major commercial technology research lab in Kenya to pioneer consumer-facing innovations aimed at African markets. Even a smaller enterprise like Charlotte, North Carolina-based SEWW&nbsp;<a href="http://www.forbes.com/energy/">Energy</a>&nbsp;is leading the way to upgrade Accra’s electricity grid.</p><p>We have only begun to scratch the surface, and we are both acting to strengthen this partnership. The Obama Administration’s SelectUSA initiative – the first government-wide effort to attract and retain investment in the United States that is housed at the Commerce Department – works every day to encourage investment by African firms in U.S. communities, which will support and create American jobs.</p><p>In May, the Commerce Department led a trade mission to Ghana and Nigeria with 20 U.S. energy companies that want to bring electricity to the 600 million Africans who still lack it. Those investments will improve lives and bring revenue to American companies, while helping create conditions for further investment in Africa.</p><p>Bloomberg LP has worked with 15 market exchanges in regions across Africa to make local market data more accessible, reliable, and transparent. This is helping African companies raise money to invest, expand, and create jobs – and helping better connect Africa to the global economy.</p><p>Africa’s economic ascent is still just beginning. The U.S.-Africa Business Forum will serve as a reminder that both Africa and America are awake and open for business. And by investing in our partnership, we will invest in prosperity on either side of the Atlantic.</p>Opinion EditorialsSelectUSAU.S. Africa Business ForumInternational Trade AdministrationSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerTue, 05 Aug 2014 12:39:12 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov16879 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- The Economic Times -- India’s economic strength and business environment are of strategic importance to the U.S.http://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/07/30/opinion-editorial-economic-times-india%E2%80%99s-economic-strength-and-bu
<div><p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL </strong><br />Wednesday, July 30, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by Commerce Secretary <a href="/About%20Commerce/Commerce%20Leadership/Penny_Pritzker_Secretary_of_Commerce">Penny Pritzker</a> and Secretary of State <a href="http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/203657.htm">John Kerry</a></p><p>Opinion Editorial, <em>The Economic Times</em><br /><a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/comments-analysis/indias-economic-strength-and-business-environment-are-of-strategic-importance-to-the-us/articleshow/39254027.cms?prtpage=1">India’s economic strength and business environment are of strategic importance to the U.S.</a></p><p>The long-standing partnership between the US and India is on the cusp of an historic transformation. Working together, the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy can forge a new era of shared prosperity and security for hundreds of millions of people in India, across Asia and the world.</p><p> India's rise will help the Indo-Pacific region become more stable, more prosperous and more free. The strategic choices India makes on how to grow its <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/economy" target="_blank">economy</a> and promote regional security will directly impact Asia's growth and US interests. As President <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Barack-Obama" target="_blank">Barack Obama</a> has observed, America's economy and security will increasingly be influenced by events in Asia. India's economic strength and business environment are, therefore, of strategic importance to both our countries.<br /> <br /> We are coming to India to deliver a single message: the US is prepared to be a full partner in this effort. We will work hand in hand with Prime Minister <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Narendra-Modi" target="_blank">Narendra Modi</a> and his government to promote <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/open" target="_blank">open</a> and liberal trade and investment, job training and closer strategic ties.<br /> <br /> <strong>Burgeoning Business</strong><br /> <br /> We are not starting from scratch. Since 2000, trade between our countries has increased nearly fivefold to more than $96 billion, Indian investment in the US has grown from just over $300 million to $9 billion, and US investment in India has risen from $2.4 billion to $28 billion. <a href="http://www.zigwheels.com/newcars/Ford" target="_blank">Ford</a> is spending $1 billion to turn its new auto plant in Gujarat into a regional manufacturing hub. US subsidiaries of Indian-owned companies employ 45,000 people in the US. Citizens of both countries recognise the importance of our relationship. Half of all Indians see the US as their country's "most dependable future ally", according to a recent Pew poll. Similarly, a recent Gallup poll found that more Americans than ever have a favourable view of India.<br /> <br /> <strong>The Next Chapter</strong><br /> <br /> We want to build on this strong foundation. We will focus on specific areas that are aligned with the priorities of India's new government.<br /> <br /> First, infrastructure. We will have astrong focus on this area during our strategic dialogue, reinforcing our joint efforts to create a business climate conducive to increasing US private sector participation in India's infrastructure needs. We believe US companies can play a leading role in bringing cutting-edge technologies, equipment, capital, services and know-how to India.<br /> <br /> Second, India and the US are rich in talent. By sharing best practices and skills in manufacturing, training and education, we can expand that talent together. India is already a centre of entrepreneurship with budding innovators. But we can expand practical programmes like vocational training, community colleges and healthcare industry skills. Some 1,00,000 Indian students are pursuing higher education degrees at American universities. Increasing our collaboration in these areas will strengthen both of our economies.<br /> <br /> Third, creating a business climate that is open to <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/global-business" target="_blank">global business</a> and investment is key to unleashing India's economic potential. Attracting investment, technology and know-how is essential to growth and requires all of us to have world-class, transparent and clear regulations that incentivise innovation by ensuring protection of <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/intellectual-property" target="_blank">intellectual property</a><a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/rights" target="_blank">rights</a>.<br /> <br /> The development of competitive technology and manufacturing capabilities that integrate India into global supply chains will create far more employment than mandatory local-content requirements, which discourage foreign investment. Creating a level playing field will help India attract even more foreign investment, and help it boost growth.<br /> <br /> In that regard, as we work with our trading partners around the world to advance trade and investment liberalisation, India must decide where it fits in the global trading system. Its commitment to a rulesbased trading order and its willingness to fulfil its obligations will be a key indication.</p></div><div><p> <strong>Powering India </strong><br /> <br /> For India to fuel its economy, however, it must address its energy security needs. Fortunately, this is one of the most robust areas of our partnership. We will expand our partnership to leapfrog the limits of power grids and bring modern energy access to millions. We are expanding our work together to find competitive formulas for clean energy, including further cooperation on civilian nuclear power, renewable energy sources and supporting a regional energy network, that demonstrate how economic growth and the environment can be secured together.<br /> <br /> Our strong and deepening partnership will continue on a series of fronts: from energy to higher education and climate change to joint military training and counter-proliferation efforts.<br /> <br /> What's more, programmes such as President Obama's SelectUSA initiative, which connects foreign investors with opportunities in the US, can be powerful engines for global collaboration and integration.<br /> <br /> We look forward to working with the governments and business leaders in India's states. The leadership, entrepreneurship and competitive spirit we see in many Indian states augur well for the country's economic transformation.<br /> <br /> Our trip to India for the strategic dialogue — along with subsequent senior-level visits, including Prime Minister Modi's prospective trip to Washington — signals our commitment to a bold and unequivocally affirmative partnership with India. Working together will mean more jobs for Indians and Americans, and it will help India achieve its full potential as a trade and investment centre of Asia. With this shared prosperity will come a shared security and a stronger partnership between our two great democracies.<br /> <br /> (John Kerry is US secretary of state and Penny Pritzker is US secretary of commerce)</p></div>Opinion EditorialsIntellectual property rightsSecretary of State John KerrySelectUSASecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerWed, 30 Jul 2014 14:42:04 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov16855 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- The Hill -- Reinvesting in America Is Strong and Growinghttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/06/19/opinion-editorial-hill-reinvesting-america-strong-and-growing
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL&nbsp;</strong><br />Thursday, June 19, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker<br />Opinion Editorial, <em>The Hill</em><br /><a href="http://thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/209833-reinvesting-in-america-is-strong-and-growing">Reinvesting in America Is Strong and Growing<br /><br /></a></p><p>For years, companies have engaged in “labor arbitrage,” seeking lower wages outside of the United States. &nbsp;But many firms are looking to reshore or expand U.S. operations because the global economic landscape is changing. &nbsp;Managers are learning that there are often hidden costs to operating abroad. Low-cost energy and highly productive workers are changing the equation, as the competitive advantages offered by the United States grow increasingly important.</p><p>We have a real opportunity to create additional jobs as more companies are choosing to establish operations in this country. Earlier this month, A.T. Kearney’s annual Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index ranked the United States as the top investment destination for the second year in a row, with the most positive net position of any country in the 16-year history of the index. &nbsp;A few months earlier, the Boston Consulting Group found that the share of U.S. executives actively considering relocating manufacturing back from China to the United States rose to 54 percent in 2013, compared with 37 percent only 18 months ago.</p><p>Companies are investing in the United States for many reasons. First, there are often unexpected costs to operating abroad. &nbsp;The cost of manufacturing goes far beyond wages – there’s travel and management time; the cost, time, and administrative burden of logistics; trade financing expenses; product quality issues; threats to intellectual property; the cost of regulatory compliance; political or security risks; and uncertainty of forecast demand. &nbsp;The costs of other inputs – like real estate and energy – can make or break a company’s bottom line.</p><p>Next, successful manufacturing is more than just managing the costs – it’s also about finding the right competitive advantages, and that’s where the United States really shines. We have one of the most skilled and productive workforces, and we’re making it a priority to build the skills that are in high demand.</p><p>The United States also remains the most innovative place in the world, home to more than a third of total global research and development investment, as well as 15 of the top 25 leading research universities. &nbsp;The United States produces nearly 30 percent of all patents worldwide, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office works hard to protect intellectual property rights. Advanced technology, including robotics and 3-D printing, are enabling U.S. manufacturers to drastically cut time to market and make better – and more customized – products.</p><p>Richelieu Legwear International, Inc., a legwear company that makes brands like Peds and Growing Socks, has decided to take advantage of all the United States has to offer. The company just announced an investment in North Carolina that will bring production and more than 200 jobs. The Commerce Department’s SelectUSA team played a role in finding Richelieu Legwear the information it needed to move its U.S. investment forward.</p><p>Richelieu Legwear is not alone. &nbsp;Companies of all sizes and industries are investing – or re-investing – in the United States. &nbsp;The Whirlpool Corporation recently moved the production of a line of front-load commercial washers from abroad to Clyde, Ohio, home to the largest washing machine factory in the world. Eighty percent of Whirlpool products on the market here are made in the United States.</p><p>If you or your children have played with Tinkertoys, Lincoln Logs, or other construction toys made by K’NEX Brands, you’ve supported American manufacturing. This family-owned company in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, has been moving production back from Asia. Roughly 95 percent of its parts and 80 percent of its finished products are now made domestically.</p><p>Finally, a manufacturing base in the United States not only allows companies, like those we just mentioned, to rapidly reach more than 317 million consumers in the world’s most attractive market; it also provides convenient access to approximately 425 million additional consumers through free trade agreements and the most rapid export clearances of all countries surveyed by the World Bank.</p><p>The decision of where to locate operations may be the most important decision a company ever makes. &nbsp;Congress and the Obama Administration have been working together to attract investment to, or back to, America’s shores. Progress has been made in part due to the funding Congress provided to SelectUSA for the first time in 2014. With additional funding being sought in the FY15 budget, we fully anticipate seeing more and more companies opening and expanding their operations in the United States, supporting and creating thousands of good-paying jobs.</p><p>The U.S. government stands ready to help businesses choose the United States, because, as President Obama has said, “When you bet on America, that bet pays off.”</p>Opinion EditorialsOffice of the SecretarySecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerThu, 19 Jun 2014 13:19:00 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov16739 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- LinkedIn Influencer -- America Is First in the World for Investment — and Getting Strongerhttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/06/06/opinion-editorial-linkedin-influencer-america-first-world-investm
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL&nbsp;</strong><br />Friday, June 6, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p><em></em>Guest oped by Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/nec/director" target="_blank">Jeff Zients</a>, Director of the National Economic Council<br />Opinion Editorial, LinkedIn Influencer<br /><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140606131146-305249517-america-is-first-in-the-world-for-investment-and-getting-stronger">America Is First in the World for Investment — and Getting Stronger</a></p><p>Right now, Hankook Tire, a company whose executives met with President Obama in Korea earlier this year, is investing in a new facility in Tennessee that will employ 1,800 Americans. And Novozymes, a bioinnovations company based in Denmark, is investing millions of dollars in a job-creating North Carolina research center. At the same time, American companies are bringing jobs back to the U.S.— like Ford which is committing to billions of dollars in new investment and more than 5,000 new U.S. jobs in 2014 alone.<br /><br />In the last three years, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://selectusa.commerce.gov/" target="_blank">SelectUSA</a> has facilitated more than $18 billion in job-creating business investment in the United States and we are making investment attraction a core priority across federal agencies. This year alone, SelectUSA has assisted nearly 500 businesses and economic development organizations by serving as a single point of contact for investors; coordinating investment advocacy all the way up to the President; and providing services and support for U.S. communities to compete globally.</p><p>Last year, the President and the Commerce Department hosted the extraordinarily successful inaugural <a rel="nofollow" href="http://selectusa.commerce.gov/selectusa-investment-summit" target="_blank">SelectUSA Summit</a>, which brought together more than 1,300 people — business executives from more than 60 countries, governors, mayors, and economic development officials from 48 states — to see the benefits of doing business and creating jobs in the U.S. and establishing the connections to make that happen.</p><p>Two weeks ago, the President announced the second <a rel="nofollow" href="http://selectusa.commerce.gov/selectusa-investment-summit" target="_blank">SelectUSA Summit</a> will be held March 23-24, 2015 in Washington, D.C. With the success of the first summit, this event will be twice the size with more than 2,500 people from around the world planning to attend to discuss ways we can together bring more job-creating investments to the U.S. and share stories about what Made in America really means.</p><p>Why is this significant?</p><p>Because according to a survey released this week, America is leading the world in attracting investment. And we are keeping our foot on the accelerator.</p><p>A new <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.atkearney.com/research-studies/foreign-direct-investment-confidence-index/full-report/" target="_blank">AT Kearney survey</a> of 300 global executives found that the United States is the top destination in the world for foreign direct investment. Last year, the U.S. surged past Brazil, China, and India to retake the top spot for the first time since 2001. And this year, the United States extended its lead with one of the highest confidence scores on record for any country and was ranked first by respondents from every geography and by every industry. It is clear that the improvements over the past two years have been profound and the U.S. continues to show greater positive momentum than any other country.</p><p>The AT Kearney findings reinforce trends we have seen in recent years. U.S. and foreign companies are investing billions of dollars that strengthen our economy, directly supporting thousands of high-quality jobs for millions of U.S. workers. These investments expand our exports and fund an outsized share of our nation’s spending on research and development.</p><p>And the Obama Administration is doubling down to make sure the world knows that we are open for business.</p><p>As part of the President’s trip to Europe this week, members of his team and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://selectusa.commerce.gov/" target="_blank">SelectUSA</a> will host a business roundtable with companies in Warsaw that have recently announced investments in the United States, or are gearing up for future business. The roundtable included Polish companies looking to invest in the United States across sectors including logistics, consumer goods, furniture, and automobiles. One company that joined the roundtable, Polish candle producer Korona S.A., recently announced plans to invest more than $18 million to locate its first U.S. production facility in Virginia, supporting 170 jobs.<br /><br />It is this growing interest from companies around the world that is driving our efforts to expand the President’s SelectUSA initiative – a global team in embassies abroad and agencies at home focused on encouraging and supporting companies who want to bring job-creating investment to the United States. The Administration is working hard every day to attract more investment, create more jobs, and strengthen our economic foundation. That’s why, in 2011, the President launched SelectUSA — the first-ever, comprehensive federal effort to actively compete to bring manufacturing and service jobs to the United States. The fact is, we must be aggressive in pursuing investment, including FDI and helping domestic companies re-shore.<br /><br />Why is the U.S. such a good place to do business? Our competitive advantages are clear. We have the most skilled and productive workforce in the world, we continue to be the leader in invention and innovation, and with the recent boom in domestic energy production, natural gas is cheaper here than in competing nations. The U.S. is also the global leader in patents, producing nearly 30 percent of all patents worldwide and we have 15 of the top 25 leading research universities.</p><p>With these advantages — it’s no surprise that company after company ranks the U.S. as the top place in the world to invest. And it is why we will use every tool in our toolbox to make sure Made in America is here to stay.</p>Opinion EditorialsAT Kearney surveyJeff ZientsNational Economic CouncilSelectUSASelectUSA SummitSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerFri, 06 Jun 2014 15:28:13 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov16695 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- Forbes -- Making America More Welcoming For International Visitorshttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/05/22/opinion-editorial-forbes-making-america-more-welcoming-internatio
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL&nbsp;</strong><br />Thursday, May 22, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Guest oped by Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson<br />Opinion Editorial,&nbsp;<em>Forbes<br /></em><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2014/05/22/making-america-more-welcoming-for-international-visitors/">"Making America More Welcoming For International Visitors"</a></p><p>Over the last 5 years, the United States has seen an increase of 15 million annual international travelers and this growth has SUPPORTED roughly 175,000 American jobs. We are on target to attract a record 100 million international travelers a year by 2021, meeting an ambitious challenge to the nation laid out by President Obama two years ago this week.&nbsp;</p><div>This is good news.&nbsp; But every other international destination is competing fiercely with us for international visitor dollars and the jobs they support. Overseas travelers spend an average of $4,500 per visit here, or more than $180 billion a year —supporting 1.3 million U.S. jobs.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>First impressions really matter. When travelers arrive at our international ports of entry, whether by land, air, or sea, it is important that they have a positive experience.&nbsp; The safety and security of this country will always come first, but we can and must also ensure that the travel experience continues to be welcoming, friendly, and efficient.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>That is why today the President is announcing a major initiative to improve service levels for international arrivals at our major airports, including reducing wait times at border security checkpoints.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>As part of this initiative, he has directed our two departments to lead an effort to develop a national goal for improving the experience of international arrivals—in collaboration with the private sector—as well as airport-specific action plans that include concrete actions, well-defined metrics, and meaningful commitments from our industry partners.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The President has set an aggressive 120-day deadline to develop this plan, and we are confident we can deliver it.&nbsp; Not only does this effort enjoy the enthusiastic support of the travel and tourism industry, but over the past decade the Department of Homeland Security has established innovative private-public partnerships with key industries to improve customer service at the ports of entry.&nbsp; And we are seeing results.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>At the Dallas-Fort Worth and Chicago O’Hare airports, for example, less than 14 percent of arriving travelers wait more than 30 minutes to get through immigration and customs processing —down from nearly 30 percent just one year ago. That wait-time reduction is due to a combination of public-private collaborations and the deployment of innovative technologies like Automated Passport Control, and expanded enrollment in the federal government’s Global Entry program, which enables faster processing for pre-cleared travelers.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>These successes illustrate a fundamental principle that guides our efforts at Commerce and DHS:&nbsp; security and trade are mutually reinforcing.&nbsp; The more we facilitate the flow of lawful goods and people across the border, the more time and resources we can devote to identifying threats, which is both good for security and for our economy. Private sector and nonfederal support will be critical to achieving the President’s objectives. In addition to the U.S. government, airports, airlines, and local governments all figure prominently into the arrivals experience – and all have an essential role to play in creating a positive first impress.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The initiative the President has asked us to lead will work closely with them to identify actions and commitments to improve the international entry experience to the United States and ensure we remain the leading global destination.&nbsp; We value their partnership and participation.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>If we all work together we can deliver a first impression that sincerely communicates “Welcome to America” at every stage of the arrivals process. That is a message that will attract more visitors from abroad—and generate more jobs and prosperity here at home.</div>Opinion EditorialsAutomated Passport ControlGlobal Entry ProgramJeh JohnsonOffice of the SecretarySecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerThu, 22 May 2014 20:03:48 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov16646 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- The Huffington Post -- Collaborating to Produce an American Workforce with In-Demand Skillshttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/04/18/opinion-editorial-huffington-post-collaborating-produce-american-
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong>
<br />
Friday, April 18, 2014<br />
<strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />
202-482-4883</p>
<p>Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sec-penny-pritzker/collaborating-to-produce_b_5174650.html" target="_blank">Opinion Editorial, The Huffington Post</a><br />"Making Manufacturing Cool" </p><p>Since taking office about 10 months ago, I have spoken to more than
1,000 CEOs and business leaders around the country. One of the top
concerns they have shared is the challenge businesses face in finding
the right workers to fill available jobs.</p><p>With technology
accelerating the pace of change in our economy, our long-term
competitiveness is tied to our ability to produce a workforce with
in-demand skills. To successfully address this challenge, we at the
Department of Commerce are focused on breaking down silos between
businesses, training organizations, academic institutions and the public
sector to create a collaborative ecosystem that supports the needs of
our workers and businesses.</p><p>As a business leader for 27 years, I know firsthand that true collaboration is part of the long-term solution.</p><p>On Wednesday, I joined President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where they <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/04/16/fact-sheet-american-job-training-investments-skills-and-jobs-build-stron" target="_hplink">announced new federal investments to support efforts to train workers</a>
with the skills needed for the positions employers want to fill now and
in the future. These investments will focus on partnering local
businesses with community colleges, which are one of the best resources
we have to train workers for 21st century jobs.</p><p>Another objective
of these investments is to expand hands-on apprenticeships, which
provide one of the clearest paths to good middle class jobs. In fact, 87
percent of apprentices are employed after completing their programs,
and the average starting wage for apprenticeship graduates is more than
$50,000.</p><p>How else can we spur collaboration? American business
today spends $400 billion training their own workers, but we want to
incentivize them to take that training and make it available to others
in the community - through partnerships with community colleges, through
increasing the number of workforce intermediaries, through expanding
the number of apprenticeship programs, and through creating and
emphasizing the value of industry-recognized, portable, stackable
credentials. By doing so, businesses can multiply the impact of the
federal government's $18 billion investments in training.</p><p>During
my time in the private sector, this issue became very personal for me.
Before I became Commerce Secretary, I helped launch Skills for America's
Future, which led to Skills for Chicagoland's Future. Both work
directly with employers to develop ways to better equip workers with the
skills they need for in-demand jobs. Aligning employers with
job-training initiatives is something I have worked on for years, and I
am proud that we have made skills training a top priority for our
Department for the very first time.</p><p>With our direct line to
businesses all over the country, the Department of Commerce is
particularly well-positioned to lead in this area. As we further our
efforts, we are encouraged by the number of employers, unions, and
foundations that are joining our efforts with commitments to support
job-driven training.</p><p>President Obama stated in his State of the
Union address that this is the year of action, and I look forward to
continuing to work with the President, Vice President Biden and
Secretary of Labor Tom Perez as we continue to develop training
mechanisms that prepare the talented and innovative workforce that is
essential to America's continued economic growth and recovery.</p>Opinion EditorialsJob TrainingSkills trainingOffice of the SecretarySecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerFri, 18 Apr 2014 18:15:00 +0000mkruger@doc.gov16544 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- U.S. News and World Report -- Making Manufacturing Coolhttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/03/31/opinion-editorial-us-news-and-world-report-making-manufacturing-c
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />Friday, March 21, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883&nbsp;</p><p>Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker<br /><a href="http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2014/03/21/parents-should-encourage-kids-to-work-in-modern-manufacturing">Opinion Editorial, U.S. News and World Report</a><br />"Making Manufacturing Cool"&nbsp;</p><p>This is an open letter to parents across America.</p>
<p>As hard as it may be to believe some days, research shows
you actually have a lot of sway over your children's classroom and career
choices. That is great news for parents, like you, who want their children to
find careers that pay well, offer interesting life-long challenges and make our
country stronger. And it is why we are asking you to encourage your children to
consider a career in modern manufacturing-a fast-growing and science-based
sector full of rewarding, high-tech careers that pay on average far better than
non-manufacturing jobs.</p>
<p>We need your help, because manufacturing has an image
problem. While 70 percent of Americans view it as the most important industry
for a strong economy and national defense, only 30 percent of parents encourage
their children to pursue a manufacturing career. That may be because the word
"manufacturing" still conjures up in some minds the image of an
untidy factory floor full of dirty, dangerous and repetitive jobs.</p>
<p>Yet that image is grossly outdated.</p>
<p>In truth, many manufacturing facilities in the United States
today are cleaner than most offices or doctors' office waiting rooms. They are
gleaming showrooms of the latest technologies. And they are staffed by
highly-skilled and well-educated professionals producing the most exciting
breakthroughs of our time, such as advances in robotics, automation and 3D
printing.</p>
<p>There is also a huge and growing demand by U.S.
manufacturers for skilled production workers, engineers and technicians. The
resurgence in U.S. manufacturing since 2010 has already led to more than
600,000 additional jobs. The National Association of Manufacturers estimates
that more than two-thirds of their sector's current skilled workforce will have
retired by 2030.</p>
<p>These demands translate into higher pay for manufacturing
workers. Over the last decade, new hires in manufacturing earned an average of
38 percent more than new hires in non-manufacturing industries. And over a
career, a manufacturing worker earns 17 percent more in wages and benefits than
his or her counterpart in other sectors, according to U.S. Commerce Department
data.</p>
<p>Together these trends indicate a major opportunity for
the next generation of workers who pick this exciting field.</p>
<p>We are doing our part to support good jobs in this
industry, which is crucial to U.S. competitiveness. Government, industry and
academia are joining forces like never before to ensure that U.S. manufacturing
continues to grow, so that your child's career prospects are secure decades
from now.</p>
<p>For example, the Commerce Department and Georgia Tech are part of the
Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, a public-private collaboration dedicated to
making sure the United States remains the most desirable place to make
sophisticated products. One of the partnership's recommendations was to create
the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, an initiative launched by
President Obama in 2012. This growing network of regional manufacturing hubs
will ensure the most important technological and commercial breakthroughs take
place in America-and benefit American workers.</p>
<p>You can help by getting young people excited about
science, technology, engineering, and math as early as possible. Good writing
and design are important too. Offering children opportunities to participate in
everything from science fairs to robotics competitions can help to inspire the
innovator within each of them</p>
<p>Each summer, for example, a number of high school students join Georgia
Tech students in the Invention Studio for Makers Camp, building devices like
next-generation helicopter models that actually fly. Many times that's just the
spark they need to explore one of the exciting career opportunities in
manufacturing.</p>
<p>Whatever your child's academic strengths and interests,
there is likely to be a good career ahead of her if she pursues post-secondary
education and training geared toward manufacturing.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that whether they choose vocational
training programs with nationally recognized credentials for machinists or
welders, or advanced degrees in fields like mechanical engineering-acquiring
manufacturing-ready skills-can make your child a hot prospect on the job
market. And it can lead them to a rewarding life making things that make this
country stronger and more prosperous.</p>Opinion EditorialsNational Network for Manufacturing InnovationSTEMOffice of the SecretarySecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerMon, 31 Mar 2014 16:38:45 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov16483 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- Forbes -- The New 'Economic Census' Will Help Unleash the Economic Magic of U.S. Government Datahttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/03/31/opinion-editorial-forbes-new-economic-census-will-help-unleash-ec
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />Friday, March 28,, 2013<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker <br /><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2014/03/28/the-new-economic-census-will-help-unleash-the-economic-magic-of-u-s-government-data/ ">Opinion Editorial, Forbes</a><br />"The New 'Economic Census' Will Help Unleash the Economic Magic of U.S. Government Data"</p><p>“If you go back a few hundred years, what we take for granted today would
seem like magic – being able to talk to people over long distances, to transmit
images, flying, accessing vast amounts of data like an oracle. These are all
things that would have been considered magic a few hundred years ago” — <a href="http://www.forbes.com/profile/elon-musk/">Elon Musk</a>, the founder of
Tesla, SpaceX and Paypal.</p>
<p>I know first-hand the power of data to which Mr. Musk refers. Twenty-seven
years ago, my first start-up was built with the help of government data from
the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau. Not realizing the source of the data
or the centuries-long history behind the numbers, I just knew the data were
accurate, relevant, and timely – and most importantly, helped us make smart <a href="http://www.forbes.com/business/">business</a> decisions of where to
locate our senior living facilities.</p>
<p>Since taking office last summer, my appreciation of our department’s rich
data resources has grown exponentially. As a business leader, I saw our data
resources as an under-appreciated national asset that could enable innovation,
inform decisions, and fuel economic growth. As such, we have made unleashing
the Department’s data a top priority of our Open for Business Agenda.</p>
<p>The rationale for this effort is clear: McKinsey reports that $3 trillion
in additional value per year can be derived by unlocking more data, giving rise
to hundreds of companies, new products and services, and improved efficiency
and effectiveness of operations.</p>
<p>Few of us think about it, but Commerce Department data touch and benefit
all Americans daily-whether through our cellphones (courtesy of the National
Institute for Standards and Technology’s atomic clock), the weather report
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), or the economic and
demographic characteristics of our nation and communities (Census Bureau and
Bureau of Economic Analysis). Yet, too much valuable data may fly under our
radars.</p>
<p>Just this week, Census will begin releasing data from one of our hidden
treasures, the Economic Census. The business community cousin of the decennial
Census, the Economic Census renders a high definition image of the more than 7
million businesses throughout the country, while closely safeguarding the
confidentiality of their responses.</p>
<p>Major corporations and small businesses alike use this data to make smart
decisions and create jobs. For example, a manufacturer of mid-sized trucks used
Economic Census data to identify hubs of plumbing and electrical contractors to
help decide where to expand its distribution and service network. We also
recently learned about the owner of a small fast-food restaurant chain in the
southwest who was considering whether to add drive-thru windows. Using the
phenomenal level of detail in the Economic Census, the owner found that in his
area, 42 percent of fast-food restaurant revenue came from drive-thru lanes.
Knowing this made his decision – and loan approval – much easier.</p>
<p>Census has also just released its most recent data on demographics at the
local level. Smart businesses will mine this data to discover where their
customers are and gain insight into how people move around the country, the
extent to which mobility has recovered, and how the age characteristics of our
people are changing.</p>
<p>Yet, the reality is our department can do a lot better to unlock more of
this rich data – making it easier to discover, access, and use. Only by
reducing barriers to identifying, accessing, and combining our datasets, can we
fully realize their potential value and maximize the return to taxpayers and
the millions of businesses and households that respond to our surveys. The big
data revolution recognizes the value that comes from seeing diverse datasets as
part of a single, rich tapestry.</p>
<p>Our mission at the Department – and throughout the federal government – is
to transform our datasets into fully realized national assets. &nbsp;Today, we
are partnering with the private sector more than ever to do just that.</p>
<p>Businesses have been responding to calls for recommendations on new,
potentially unconventional, ways to unlock effectively and efficiently all of
the 20 terabytes of data that NOAA alone collects and generates every day. We
are also spearheading (through NIST) the development of common data standards
and architecture, toward a vision of a powerful platform to provide universal
access.</p>
<p>As the federal government’s “Innovation Agency,” we are engaging with
businesses and citizens nationwide to understand how you use our data, how we
can execute better, and how we can help lead and enable the era of big data.</p>
<p>To borrow a phrase from Mr. Musk, harnessing more of the “magic” of this
powerful data can help us deliver needed economic opportunity for millions of
Americans.</p>
<p><em>Penny Pritzker is the 38th U.S. Secretary of Commerce.</em></p>Opinion EditorialsBureau of Economic AnalysisEconomic CensusElon MuskNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationOpen for Business AgendaBureau of the CensusSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerMon, 31 Mar 2014 14:59:37 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov16482 at http://www.commerce.govOp-Ed -- LinkedIn Influencer -- State of the U.S. Economy: Ensuring America’s Innovators Can Thrivehttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/03/25/op-ed-linkedin-influencer-state-us-economy-ensuring-america%E2%80%99s-inn
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />March 25, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by <a href="http://beta.commerce.gov/directory/pennypritzker">U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker</a></p><p>Opinion Editorial, LinkedIn Influencer<br /><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140325102639-305249517-state-of-the-u-s-economy-ensuring-america-s-innovators-can-thrive?trk=mp-reader-card">State of the U.S. Economy: Ensuring America’s Innovators Can Thrive</a></p><p>America today is the global epicenter of innovation. <br /> <br />The U.S. has 6 million workers employed in technology and the highest concentration of knowledge and technology intensive industries in the world, representing 40 percent of our GDP.</p><p>For our nation’s economy to continue to grow and remain globally competitive, we have to build on that momentum.<br /> <br />In President Obama’s words, "to win the future the United States must out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world."<br /> <br />At the <a href="/" target="_blank">Department of Commerce</a>, we are working to set the conditions for our innovators, entrepreneurs, inventors, researchers, mentors and investors to succeed. We like to think of ourselves as the Administration’s “innovation agency.”<br /> <br />1. We are protecting ideas through our <a href="http://www.uspto.gov/" target="_blank">Patent and Trademark Office</a>. To be closer to our customers, we have four new satellite patent offices in Dallas, Detroit, Denver and Silicon Valley. We are streamlining the patent process and reducing patent backlogs so that new products and designs get into the marketplace faster. In addition, we are focused on delivering patent reform that balances the protection of ideas with curbing the abuses in the IP system, such as patent trolling. This reform will allow American companies to remain focused on innovation, not expensive litigation.<br /> <br />2. We are making smart investments in digital infrastructure. We have deployed 110,000 miles of broadband in the last four years through our <a href="http://www.ntia.doc.gov/" target="_blank">National Telecommunications and Information Administration</a>. We also make spectrum available for businesses and advocate keeping the Internet free and open on a global scale.<br /> <br />3. We advance technology development through the best science, the right industry standards, and by supporting private sector R&amp;D through our <a href="http://www.nist.gov/" target="_blank">National Institute of Standards and Technology</a>.<br /> <br />4. We produce and share important data from our <a href="http://esa.gov/" target="_blank">Economics and Statistics Administration</a>, the <a href="http://www.census.gov/" target="_blank">Census Bureau</a>, and the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/" target="_blank">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</a>, and we are committed to freeing even more. Why is this data important? Here is one example: Weather and climate-sensitive industries in the U.S. account for roughly one-third of GDP. Unlocking more weather and climate data will stimulate the creation of new companies like the Weather Channel, boost economic growth, and spur employment. <br /> <br />5. We support entrepreneurship and startups through programs in our <a href="http://www.mbda.gov/" target="_blank">Minority Business Development Agency</a> and our <a href="http://www.eda.gov/" target="_blank">Economic Development Administration</a>.<br /> <br />6. For the first time ever, the Commerce Department is working with the Departments of Labor and Education to help train Americans with the skills employers need, match our workers to good jobs that need to be filled right now, and ensure that businesses have access to the most skilled and talented workforce to produce the goods and services of the future.<br /> <br />But we must not stop there, Our job at the Commerce Department also involves advocating for policies to grow our economy.<br /> <br />As such, we must invest more in research and development. For example, the President has called for a <a href="http://www.manufacturing.gov/nnmi_overview.html" target="_blank">national network of manufacturing innovation institutes</a> where companies – large and small — in partnership with universities can partner in “pre-competitive research.”<br /> <br />Another way to grow our economy is by increasing trade and investment. Today, 95 percent of customers are outside our borders and export-related jobs pay 18 percent more on average. That is why we must move forward with potential new trade agreements with both Asia-Pacific and Europe – involving two-thirds of global GDP. <br /> <br />We must also pass immigration reform, which is both a moral obligation and an economic opportunity for our country. Immigration reform will grow our economy by an estimated $1.4 trillion dollars over the next two decades and reduce the deficit. Reform will also attract and keep the best minds in America by providing visas to foreign entrepreneurs looking to start businesses here… and green cards to those who obtain a masters or Ph.D. in STEM fields.</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/channels/the_economy?trk=prod-inf-myindustry-0325-inpostpromo" target="_blank"></a>The bottom line is that we must use all of the tools in our economic toolkit to help our economy grow — that also includes building first-class infrastructure and enacting smart business tax reform. And while we have more work to do to lift incomes, expand opportunity and help businesses with the tools they need to grow and hire, I am optimistic about America’s future. The ingenuity, grit, and resilience of our innovators, our workers, and our businesses has resulted in 2.4 million new jobs created last year. The strength of our people and their ideas will continue to move our economy forward.</p>Opinion EditorialsSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerWed, 26 Mar 2014 04:00:00 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov17303 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- Wall Street Journal -- America Is Committed to Asia http://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/02/19/opinion-editorial-wall-street-journal-america-committed-asia
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL</strong><br />Wednesday, February 19, 2013<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLC AFFAIRS</strong><br />202-482-4883</p><p><strong>Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel</strong><br /><a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304675504579388202324713822"><strong>Opinion Editorial, <em>Wall Street Journal</em></strong></a><br /><strong>"America is Committed to Asia" </strong><br /><br />For decades, security and prosperity have flourished
throughout the Asia-Pacific region, each reinforcing the other. The astounding
growth of trade and industry across the Pacific Rim has transformed nations and
lifted millions of people out of poverty, surpassing all expectations while
strengthening many crucial relationships. </p>
<p>This progress was no accident. America's security presence
in the region and our strong alliances, economic ties and people-to-people
contact with nations like Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, Thailand and
the Philippines have provided the necessary stability for Pacific nations to
focus on giving their people a more inclusive, peaceful and prosperous future. </p>
<p>Today, as more and more of America's trade and defense
activities shift toward the Asia-Pacific, and as the region undergoes dynamic
changes with the rise of China, Indonesia and India, the United States
Departments of Defense and Commerce are working side by side to help keep
trends moving in the right direction and promote greater security and
prosperity. </p>
<p>These efforts are particularly important because the
Asia-Pacific region is confronting historical animosities and disputes that
fuel tensions, increase uncertainty and risk wider conflict. These
disagreements may begin with sovereignty concerns, but they create risk for
nations across the globe. For example, commercial and military vessels from
around the world need to know where and how to operate safely throughout the region.
Doubts can cause a ripple effect of negative consequences that range from
wasted resources and delayed private investments to miscalculation and
conflict—meaning that all Pacific nations would stand to lose far more than
what any one country stands to gain. </p>
<p>Instead of letting these comparatively modest disagreements
derail our significant progress, we need to get back to the business of doing
business. Right now, there are three important areas where all nations of the
region have the opportunity to benefit by working together—and where the
Commerce and Defense Departments have important roles to play. </p>
<p>First, we should work to promote shared principles and fair
rules of the road, both in the security and economic realms. In the commercial
and economic realms, this means concluding negotiations on the Trans-Pacific
Partnership, a high-standard trade agreement that would support greater trade,
investment and growth throughout the region. </p>
<p>In recent meetings in Singapore, the 12 TPP nations
identified what we call "landing zones" on most of the outstanding
issues, and we continue to make progress on market access issues with various
countries. Our task now is to conclude negotiations on an agreement that
reflects our common values and shared commitment to raising the standards for
doing business across the Pacific. </p>
<p>In the security realm, it means creating a space where our
militaries can better communicate intentions, work through difficult problems,
and collaborate on common interests. The United States has already begun
working with nations in the region, including China, to foster transparency and
develop clear rules of the road in critical areas such as sea and air travel,
space, cybersecurity and a code of conduct for the South China Sea. These
efforts build habits of cooperation that can be expanded to other areas. </p>
<p>Second, Pacific nations must continue to cooperate with one
another when disaster strikes. Natural disasters are among the most significant
threats to security and prosperity in the region, putting countless lives and
resources at risk every year. </p>
<p>One tragic example is the devastation caused by Typhoon
Haiyan, which killed more than 6,000 people and could cost nearly $13 billion
in economic damage and lost production. The Department of Defense has
prioritized humanitarian assistance and disaster relief cooperation in the
region, which enabled the U.S. military to airlift nearly 20,000 survivors and
deliver more than four million pounds of relief supplies and equipment to the
Philippines. Many other Asian nations also contributed much-needed manpower,
assets, supplies and funds to these efforts. </p>
<p>At the same time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, part of the Commerce Department, continues to invest in warning
systems that help prevent loss of life and property throughout the Pacific Rim.
For example, NOAA has increased the number of buoys that help predict tsunamis
to 29 from six over the past 10 years, while also helping countries like
Australia and Indonesia install their own systems. </p>
<p>Third, we should continue to build international
partnerships that simultaneously strengthen industry and defense relationships.
This will not only help improve security, but also help create new economic
opportunities. The Department of Defense has supported this by co-developing a
new missile interceptor with Japan, which will be able to defeat the next
generation of advanced ballistic missile threats and shows how leveraging collective
technological expertise can help meet 21st century security challenges in a
cost-effective way. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Departments of Defense, State and Commerce
are rolling out reforms of the controls on the export of military items to our
close partners and allies such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South
Korea. These changes will strengthen U.S. and regional security by increasing
military interoperability with these allies while also enhancing our collective
economic interests. Although we do not permit exports of military or
military-related items to China, the United States will continue to encourage
exports of high-tech commercial items to China for civilian purposes. </p>
<p>As part of the Obama administration's comprehensive strategy
for rebalancing toward the Asia-Pacific, the Departments of Defense and
Commerce will intensify our dialogue with regional leaders and pursue
innovative ways to collaborate. For example, in April, the Defense Department
will host a meeting of the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations defense
ministers in Hawaii, where the ministers will visit the Commerce Department's
Inouye Regional Center, home to the bulk of NOAA's assets in Hawaii, and
discuss ways to enhance humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts,
among other issues. </p>
<p>The Asia-Pacific's dynamic growth cannot be taken for
granted. Security, stability and prosperity require constant attention, a
commitment to shared principles, and the combined efforts of the United States
and all Asia-Pacific nations. When nations work together for the benefit of all
their people, everything is possible. </p>
<p>Mr. Hagel is secretary of defense and Ms. Pritzker is
secretary of commerce of the United States.</p>Opinion EditorialsChuck HagelTrans-Pacific PartnershipNational Oceanic & Atmospheric AdministrationSecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerWed, 19 Feb 2014 18:02:14 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov16372 at http://www.commerce.govOpinion Editorial -- Huffington Post -- Delivering an Economic Comebackhttp://www.commerce.gov/news/opinion-editorials/2014/01/29/opinion-editorial-huffington-post-delivering-economic-comeback
<p class="press-release-header"><strong>OPINION EDITORIAL<br /></strong>Wednesday, January 29, 2014<br /><strong>CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS<br /></strong>202-482-4883</p><p>Op-Ed by&nbsp;<a href="http://beta.commerce.gov/directory/pennypritzker">U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker</a></p><p>Opinion Editorial, <em>Huffington Post<br /></em><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sec-penny-pritzker/delivering-an-american-ec_b_4690358.html">Delivering an Economic Comeback</a></p><p>All Americans love a comeback story. And that is the story that President Obama weaved in his powerful State of the Union address.</p><p>Thanks to the grit, resilience and hard work of the American people and our businesses, more than 2 million jobs were created last year and we hit the lowest unemployment rate in more than five years. We have a manufacturing sector that has added over half-a-million jobs. Our stock market is booming. We have record exports. Our housing market is rebounding. And we've cut our deficits by more than half. </p><p>And while we have more work to do to lift incomes, expand opportunity for our people and help businesses with the tools they need to grow and hire, both President Obama and I are optimistic about America's future. </p><p>We both know that 2014 can be a breakthrough year for America, and we are better positioned for this century than any nation on earth. </p><p>We stand ready to work and partner with Congress. This includes passing immigration reform, which is both a moral obligation and an economic opportunity. It also includes building first-class infrastructure that will deliver first class jobs. Approving trade agreements, spurring innovation, assisting the long-term unemployed, raising the minimum wage and other efforts are also critical to moving our nation forward.</p><p>But the president was clear that this year the administration will act decisively -- with or without Congress -- to help our economy flourish. The Department of Commerce -- through our Open for Business Agenda -- is acting on this promise. </p><p>Driving more high-tech manufacturing hubs. The Department of Commerce is working with our Administration partners on the National Network of Manufacturing Innovation. These manufacturing hubs -- where communities, businesses and research institutions come together -- will help America lead the world in advanced technologies and create the next great firms and industries. We launched two last year, and the President will roll out six more. </p><p>Increasing trade and investment. Today, 95 percent of customers are outside our borders and we know that in places like Kansas City, exports have driven virtually all of the economic growth since the recession. More trade and investment are important to grow our economy and create jobs here in America. As such, we must create trade partnerships with Europe and the Asia-Pacific that will cover more than 60 percent of global GDP and deliver unprecedented economic opportunity. At the same time, we must work with Congress to deliver tools like trade promotion authority that declares our collective commitment to our workers and environment, and opens new markets for American companies. Every President has had this authority going back several decades and having a clear declaration from Congress that it stands with the Administration in seeking high standards is essential. Once approved, we are one step closer to ensuring a more level playing field for our workers and companies while raising global standards. </p><p>The president also called for expanding SelectUSA, a Commerce-led program to increase foreign direct investment. The fact is, more than 5 million Americans work for foreign owned firms, making more than $77,000 on average in these jobs. As the President said, we will work to welcome more of this investment and create more of these jobs.</p><p>Stimulating innovation and protecting the "ideas economy." America's economy is based on the ingenuity and ideas of our innovators. That's why we must continue to spur more research and development and deliver a patent reform bill that allows our companies to remain focused on innovation, not on needless and expensive litigation. Our Patent and Trademark Office is already helping lead on this front. In addition, our National Telecommunications and Information Administration has helped lay more than 100,000 miles of broadband in the last four years including the high-speed linking of community institutions such as schools, libraries, hospitals and public safety facilities that need it most. The president announced that we will continue our effort by connecting 20 million students in 15,000 schools to high-speed broadband.</p><p>Helping our 21st century workforce. For the first time ever, our department is working with the Labor and Education Departments to ensure that every American has the skills needed to compete. This is important as millions of Americans are underemployed or unemployed despite there being 3.9 million open jobs in the country. We are joining Vice President Biden in an across-the-board reform of our training programs to ensure they have one mission: train Americans with the skills employers need, and match them to quality jobs that lead to a career path. That means more on-the-job training and apprenticeships that help American workers climb ladders of opportunity. </p><p>As someone who has built businesses for 27 years, I am used to embracing practical solutions to get things done. That's why I am hopeful that the time of manufactured crises may be over. Evidence of this is that Congress recently produced a budget that undoes some of last year's severe budget cuts and brings down our deficit in a balanced way. This is good news for all of us.</p><p>Like the president, I believe the state of our union is strong because of the determination and ingenuity of our people and businesses. Yes, we've come a long way back, and we will continue our mission to help the millions who most need help. We are indeed open for business. </p><p>And if we work together -- turning ideas into action -- there is no doubt that the state of our union will be even stronger in 2014.</p>Opinion EditorialsNational Network of Manufacturing InnovationNNMISelectUSASecretary of Commerce Penny PritzkerWed, 29 Jan 2014 19:25:49 +0000kcpullen@doc.gov17296 at http://www.commerce.gov